YOU HAVE BILLIONS INVESTED IN AI

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YOU HAVE BILLIONS INVESTED IN GENERATIVE AI <<link "Click here to begin.">> <<audio Act1 loop play>> <<goto "Instructions">> <</link>>

<<audio Act1 loop play>><<timed 0s t8n>>The year is 2023.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>ChatGPT was released 12 months ago, and it<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>blew<</timed>><<timed 4s t8n>> your<</timed>><<timed 5s t8n>> mind.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[Hell yeah it did.->Beginning2]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You know the future when you see it.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>You are a VENTURE CAPITALIST.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>A defender of rationality in an epoch of fools.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[They'll never understand my genius.->Beginning3]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>And now...<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>You have billions invested in GENERATIVE AI.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Beginning4">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>That kind of money might make some people nervous.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>But not you.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>You're an apex predator.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[A giant among the ants.->Beginning5]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>And besides.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>No technology this impressive could ever go wrong.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Even if it does have a few...<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>...quirks.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "NewsFlash1">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You get a phone call from your assistant.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>There is someone on the other line who would like to speak with you.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>It is famed linguist NOAM CHOMSKY.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Who the hell is that?->WhoNoam]]<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Put him through.->Act1::2]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You hear a wise and weathered voice.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>It is the voice of famed linguist NOAM CHOMSKY.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>He explains to you that LLMs are built around a fundamentally flawed conception of language.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Act1::3">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Large language models do not "think" in any sense of the word, he tells you.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>As such, their predictions will always be superficial and dubious.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Act1::4">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>What if Noam Chomsky is right?<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>What if LLMs are a step in the wrong direction?<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>And then it hits you, like ice in your chest.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>If Noam Chomsky is right, that would mean that you are...<</timed>> <<timed 8s t8n>>...WRONG.<</timed>> <<timed 9s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Act1::4::2::1">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You think about your 6th grade science teacher.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>The one that used to laugh when you got things wrong.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>You can hear her now.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>Laughing.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Act1::4::2::1::1">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>And you can hear Noam Chomsky laughing with her.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>They are laughing at you.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[Time to tell Noam Chomsky to fuck himself to make these thoughts go away->FuckNoam]]<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[WHY ARE THEY LAUGHING AT ME?->BadThoughts]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Maybe it's because you're doing something dumb.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Something really, really dumb.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Maybe it's because you're doing the dumbest fucking thing you've ever done in your life.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[TELL NOAM CHOMSKY TO GO AWAY AND SILENCE THESE THOUGHTS.->FuckNoam]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You tell Noam "Nobody" Chomsky to fuck himself, and then hang up.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>[[Such a puny mind.->PartyTime]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Besides, you have an important tech person party to get to.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Because you're an important person, with important places to be.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>And it's important that you remember that.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[I'm an important person with important places to be.->GoToParty]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You arrive at the party.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>You are waiting at the bar, when a man taps your shoulder.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>It is renowned cognitive scientist GARY MARCUS.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[Who the hell is that?->WhoGary]]<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[Hear him out.->HearGary]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>><img src="Headshots/ChomskyPix.png" class = "head-img"><</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>Noam Chomsky is one of the most influential linguists in history, and oneof the modern world's most esteemed academics. <</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WhoNoam2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"Are you aware," Marcus asks you, "of the limits of scaling?"<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>"Scaling," he continues, "is our current approach to making advances in Generative AI. It involves increasing the model size, the training data size, and the compute in the hopes that we will achieve AGI (Artificial General Intelligence)."<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "HearGary2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>><img src="Headshots/MarcusPix.png" class = "head-img"><</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>Gary Marcus is professor emeritus of psychology and neural science at NYU. In 2014, he founded Geometric Intelligence, a machine learning company later acquired by Uber.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WhoGary2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"While scaling has indeed shown some early promise, my own research indicates that progress will soon start to plateau, and that this approach will never lead to a truly robust cognitive architecture."<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "HearGary3">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You look Gary Marcus in the eye and tell him he doesn't know shit.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>And then you walk away.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Like a BOSS.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[This party is nothing but morons, it's time to leave.->LeaveParty]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>What is Gary Marcus talking about?<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Is he saying that pouring infinitely more money and energy into scaling won't actually get us anywhere?<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "GaryRight2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You walk outside and are about to get in your car, when you spot a man lurking in the bushes.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>It is investigative journalist ED ZITRON.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>As he approaches, you can smell a faint hint of Diet Coke on his breath.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Who the hell is that?->WhoEd]]<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Listen to what he has to say.->HearEdOut]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>That all you're really doing is throwing your money into a wishing well and hoping the Terminator comes out?<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>Is he saying that the Laws Of Scaling are just marketing materials with no basis in science?<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[Tell Gary Marcus to fuck off in order to get rid of these doubts.->FuckGary]]<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[Oh no this might be dumb->BadThoughtsGary1]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>A vision flashes through your mind:<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>You, on the news.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>You've lost all your money, and you're wearing a barrel with suspenders.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>Everyone is calling you FUCKING DUMB.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[I DON'T LIKE THESE IDEAS TELL GARY MARCUS TO FUCK HIMSELF.->FuckGary]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"Aren't you the person," says Zitron, "who invested all that money in the Metaverse?"<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>He smiles.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>"How's that been treating you, then? The Metaverse?"<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[What? Why is he talking about that?->WhyEd]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>><img src="Headshots/ZitronPix.png" class = "head-img"><</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>Ed Zitron is an English author, podcaster, and public relations specialist. He has been particularly critical of hype cycles in the tech industry.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WhoEd2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"Oh and also..."<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>"...what about that whole NFT thing you put all that cash into? You know...<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>...that startup with all those poor, bored apes? How's that been holding up?"<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Is he implying something? WHAT THE FUCK IS HE IMPLYING?->WhyEd2]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"Well seeing as you're such a sound businessperson," Zitron continues,<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>"I was wondering if you could fill me in on the cashflow situation as pertains to your new investments in Generative AI?"<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>"Like...what's the burn rate for each of those organizations?<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WhyEd3">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You get in your car and drive off before Ed Zitron can say another word.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Fuck him.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>You're a financial GENIUS.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "FuckOffEd2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>It suddenly occurs to you that each of the organizations you have invested in is incinerating money at a rate unlike anything you've ever seen.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>In fact, you have absolutely no idea how or when any of them are going to turn a profit.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>...is that a problem?<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "MoneyWorry2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You never asked those questions when you threw all that money into the Metaverse and that turned out...<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>...<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[My mind is scaring me, it's time to tell Ed Zitron to fuck off.->FuckOffEd]]<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[Wait do I just throw insane amounts of money at stupid shit?->MoneyWorry3]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>No. No that can't be the case.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>We'll all be living in the metaverse someday.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>NFT's will rise again.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "MoneyWorry4">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You're not a dumbass.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>You're not a dumbass fucking dork who wastes money on insane bullshit.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[MAKE ED ZITRON GO AWAY I DON'T LIKE WHERE MY MIND IS GOING->FuckOffEd]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>They'll see.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Generative AI is the FUTURE.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>You've never been so sure about anything in your life.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Damn right, I'm riding an AI rocket to the moon->FuckOffEd3]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>As you drive off into the night, you think briefly about the car you're in, and the money you invested in its manufacturer.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>How many years ago did they promise your next car would be self-driving?<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "...and how many times have they promised that?">> <<audio Act1 stop>> <<audio Act2 loop play>> <<goto "The Year">> <</link>><</timed>>

<<timed 3s t8n>>The year is 2025.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Generative AI has driven massive gains in the stock market, with 7 companies leading the charge.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>These companies are known colloquially as THE MAGNIFICENT 7.<</timed>> <<timed 10s t8n>>Together, they now make up roughly one-third of the S&P 500.<</timed>> <<timed 11s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "ChatGPThas">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>ChatGPT has over 700 million weekly users, and generative AI has been integrated into numerous popular software programs and implemented in industries ranging from education to finance.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>And yet...<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "thesailing">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>...the sailing is not all smooth.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Headlines2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Many of the things you were warned about in 2023 appear to have been...<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>...true.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[LIES!!!->Thehallucinations]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>The hallucinations have not gone away, and the chatbots still frequently spout harmful absurdities.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>The early gains from scaling have started to plateau, and even minor improvements require unthinkable amounts of resources.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "bubble">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>The whole thing is starting to appear to some as a...<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>...bubble.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Headlines8">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>This is a critical moment for the generative AI industry.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Now is not the time for hesitation or doubts.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[I'll show them, I'm a VENTURE CAPITALIST ->Youget]]<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[...wait, does this stuff even work?->WaitDoes]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You get a phone call from your assistant.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>There is someone on the other line who would like to speak with you.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>It is Meta's Chief AI Scientist YANN LECUN.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[Wait, who is he again?->WhoYann]]<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[Put him through.->YouHear]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You hear a man with a French accent.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>It is Meta's Chief AI Scientist YANN LECUN. <</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>He tells you that it turns out LLMs, no matter how large or how much compute or data you throw at them, are a "dead end" for achieving human-level intelligence.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "HeSays">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>He says that he is leaving Meta to work on other forms of AI.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>"I'm not interested in LLMs anymore."<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[HEY FUCK YOU YANN LECUN WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DEEP LEARNING?->YouTell]]<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[Wait what he used to work at META this seems bad->WhatIs]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"What is YANN LECUN saying?"<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>"What if he's right?"<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>"What if LLMs are just...<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>...dumb?"<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "YouThink1">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You think about the chatbots, and all the mistakes they've made.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Telling people to drink bromide.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Making up medical studies out of thin air.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[I don't like these thoughts, it's time to tell YANN LECUN to fuck himself.->YouTell]]<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Wait, do they just spout dumb fucking nonsense that's totally useless to everyone????->YouThink2]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You think about the time an AI coding assistant went rogue and wiped out a startup's production database.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>You think about the time a chatbot encouraged business owners to serve food that had been partially eaten by rodents.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "YouThink3">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You think about a video you saw on social media of a ballerina, twirling with her foot in the air.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>Her leg was coming out of her head.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>Her LEG was COMING OUT OF-<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[TELL LANN YECUN TO FUCK HIMSELF IN ORDER TO MAKE THESE THOUGHTS STOP.->YouTell]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You tell YANN LECUN to have fun eating shit at his shit-eating startup and hang up the phone.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>BOOM.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[That idiot just doesn't understand TECHNOLOGY.->TimeTo]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Time to go the gym.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>You're walking to the gym when a man waves to you from across the street.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>It is world-famous hedge fund manager MICHAEL BURRY.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[Who the hell is that?->WhoMichael]]<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[See what he wants.->MichaelBurry]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>MICHAEL BURRY tells you that he sees serious problems in the valuations of AI companies.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>He says that their accounting assumptions are questionable, and that their projections for long-term demand are overly optimistic.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "MichaelBurry2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>MICHAEL BURRY tells you that he is taking large bearish positions against leaders in the AI rally.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>He tells you he sees parallels between the current AI craze and the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[HEY FUCK YOU MICHAEL BURRY WHAT HAVE YOU EVER PREDICTED???->YouTellMichael]]<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[Wait why is he talking about the shmot-shmom bubble we don't talk about that->DidMichael]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Did MICHAEL BURRY just mention the dot com bubble?<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>You don't like thinking about the DOT COM BUBBLE.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>WHY IS MICHAEL BURRY MAKING YOU THINK ABOUT THE DOT COM BUBBLE????<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "YouRemember">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You remember those dark, dark times.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>The layoffs.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>The awkward board meetings.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>The pressure.<</timed>> <<timed 8s t8n>>The defeat.<</timed>> <<timed 9s t8n>>[[I don't like it when my head goes to this place, it's time to make Michael Burry leave->YouTellMichael]]<</timed>> <<timed 9s t8n>>[[oh no is this going to be like the DOT COM BUBBLE???->EveryoneLooking]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Everyone looking at you, and thinking:<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Wrong.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WRONG">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>WRONG<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>WRONG<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>WRONG<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>WROOOOOOOOOOONG<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>WROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>WROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[AHHHHHHH TELL MICHAEL BURRY TO FUCK OFF RIGHT NOW AND MAKE THESE THOUGHTS STOP->YouTellMichael]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You tell MICHAEL BURRY to take his crystal ball and shove it where no one will have to deal with its BULLSHIT.<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Some people are just bad at seeing FACTS.->YouArriveAt]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You arrive at the gym.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>You're lying on your back doing bench presses, when you smell the faintest hint of Diet Coke...<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>...and see, above you, the face of investigative journalist ED ZITRON.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Oh god what the fuck does he want?->SoED]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>><img src="Headshots/LecunPix.png" class = "head-img"><</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>YANN LECUN is a French-American computer scientist working in the fields of machine learning, computer vision, mobile robotics, and computational neuroscience.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WhoYann2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>><img src="Headshots/BurryPix.png" class = "head-img"><</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>MICHAEL BURRY is an American investor and hedge fund manager. He founded the hedge fund Scion Capital, which later went by the name Scion Asset Management.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WhoMichael2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"So, ED ZITRON says, "how's it been going with that whole 'achieving AGI' thing?"<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>"Have you built us a Terminator yet?"<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>"...have you even built us a functioning toaster?"<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "AndWhats">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"And what's this I hear about the generative AI industry needing...<</timed>><<timed 1s t8n>>what was it...<</timed>><<timed 3s t8n>>2 trillion dollars in AI revenue by 2030? Or you've wasted your entire capex?"<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>"How many zeros is that, again?"<</timed>> <<timed 8s t8n>>"Is that...good?"<</timed>> <<timed 9s t8n>>[[HEY FUCK OFF ED ZITRON YOU DON'T KNOW FUCK ABOUT SHIT->YouYell]]<</timed>> <<timed 9s t8n>>[[That actually sounds like a problem...->YouStart]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You start to think about how much money the AI companies need to survive.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>So much money.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>And you start to think about their profits.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>Zero money.<</timed>> <<timed 8s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Wihatifthis">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>What if this is...<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>...a problem?<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[I can't stand these thoughts tell ED ZITRON to go the fuck away.->YouYell]]<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH->AAAAAAAH]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>mmmmmmmmmmmMMMMMM<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>nnnnooooooooooooooooooo<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Don't throw up don't throw up<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "No">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>No.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>No, no.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>You're not wrong.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>You're not...<</timed>> <<timed 8s t8n>>aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah<</timed>> <<timed 9s t8n>>[[STOP SPIRALING BY MAKING ED ZITRON GO THE FUCK AWAY->YouYell]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You yell for a manager but the time he comes ED ZITRON has already escaped.<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[No matter, he is a gadfly and a fool.->AsYouWalk]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>As you walk home from the gym, you see a man shouting words into his smartphone.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>He looks angry, and keeps on repeating himself.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "YouRealize">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You realize that he cannot get his phone's voice transcription software to work.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>...how many years ago was that technology released?<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>><<link "...is anyone in the industry even still trying to fix it?">> <<audio Act2 stop>> <<audio Act3 loop play>> <<goto "TheYear2026">> <</link>><</timed>>

<<timed 3s t8n>>The year is 2026.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>Generative AI continues to dominate the markets, but things have grown increasingly...<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>...shaky.<</timed>> <<timed 8s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "ItWouldAppear">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>It would appear that investors' doubts have only intensified.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Corporate adoption has flatlined and, while there are more free users than ever, very few customers are paying for the chatbots and the ones that do still lose the AI companies money.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "TheSituation">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>The situation is looking grim.<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "ItIsNow">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You get a phone call from OpenAI CEO SAM ALTMAN.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>He says there is someone he would like you to meet.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Can you be at such and such a place at such and such a time?<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Wait, who is he again?->WhoSam]]<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>[[Sure I'll see you there.->WhenYouArrive]] <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>When you arrive at the meeting place, you see OpenAI CEO SAM ALTMAN sitting at a table with another man.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>SAM ALTMAN tells you that OpenAI's newest potential backer would like to meet you before sealing the deal.<</timed>> <<timed 8s t8n>>He gestures to the man sitting across the table.<</timed>> <<timed 9s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WhenYouArrive2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Unnaturally tall, the shadow he casts gives off a strange red glow.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>His pupils are like slits and you swear, in some strange way, you can hear them hissing.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "AllAround">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Are you about to make a deal with like...<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>...the devil?<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Doesn't something bad always end up happening when you do that?<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "ButThenYou">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>But then you think about just how much you have riding on generative AI.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>All those zeros.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>One zero, two zero...<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[Yeah let's totally just do this deal.->YouTellSam]]<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[But is it REALLY worth it?->Billions]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>><img src="Headshots/AltmanPix.png" class="head-img"><</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>SAM ALTMAN is the CEO of OpenAI. He was ousted from the role by the company's board in 2023 due to a lack of confidence in his leadership, but was reinstated five days later.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "WhoSam2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Billions. You didn't even know what that number meant until you had them.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>And all of it now riding on a the backs of a bunch of assheaded shatbots.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Waitwhy">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Wait why did you do this again?<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Why the fuck did you do this?<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Oh no.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>Oh nooooooooooooo.<</timed>> <<timed 8s t8n>>[[AAAAAAAAH OK MAKE THE DEAL->YouTellSam]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You shake the man's hand.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>It burns yours slightly before you let go.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[Whatever that doesn't mean anything->OnTheWay]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>On the way back to your car, you see Nvidia CEO JENSEN HUANG.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>He beckons you over.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[Wait, who is he again?->WhoJensen]]<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[See what he wants.->JENSENHUANG]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>JENSEN HUANG reminds you of the headwinds you are all facing.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>This moment, he tells you, could make or break you all.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "JENSENHUANG2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>JENSEN HUANG says he knows you are close with a reporter at the Wall Street Journal.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>He's wondering if you'd be willing to suggest an article?<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[Yes, anything for generative AI->FriendWSJ]]<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[...won't people think it's weird if they see what's basically an ad run as an article?->IsntEveryone]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Isn't everyone just going to be able to see straight through this?<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Isn't everyone going to suspect the article came from you?<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>Are you going to look like a dumb fucking dumbass no matter what?<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Doomed?">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Is this just DOOMED?<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Are you just peddling a technology that constantly spouts insane shit?<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[It is WAY too late to think about that now, let's get that article in print.->FriendWSJ]]<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck->AndThen]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>And then you hear them.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>The voices.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>NOAM CHOMSKY's. GARY MARCUS's. ED ZITRON'S. YANN LECUN's. MICHAEL BURRY's.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>The world's.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "SAYINGTHAT">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Saying that you're wrong.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Calling you a loser.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>Looooooooser.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE-<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[AAAAAAAAAH FINE I'LL PLANT THE FUCKING ARTICLE->FriendWSJ]] <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You call your friend at the Wall Street Journal.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>The one you used to take ayahuasca with.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "YouPersuade">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You persuade him to write the piece, but he asks for your help in coming up with an angle.<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[["How to forcibly insert generative AI into an ungrateful lackey's orifices"->ThatShould]]<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[["How to subtly manipulate your workforce into using chatbots via CIA interrogation tactics"->ThatShould]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>That should do the trick, you both agree.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>And no one will ever suspect that you had anything to do with it.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "DevilCall">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You are just about to sit down for lunch when you get a phone call from OpenAI CEO SAM ALTMAN.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>He says that OpenAI's NEWEST INVESTOR has become nervous.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>He tells you he has a favor to ask.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[Ask him what the favor is.->cold feet]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>OpenAI's NEWEST INVESTOR is getting cold feet, SAM ALTMAN tells you, and what he really needs to see is a strong sign of confidence from one of his own.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>He reminds you of your deep esteem and influence.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[Yes my qualities are well known.->WeNeedYouTo]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"We need you to let us cut your skull open and replace your brain with an LLM," SAM ALTMAN tells you.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>"I've spoken with the board, too, and they strongly feel that this is the only way."<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "PeopleNeed">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"People need to see the strongest possible sign of our investors' confidence."<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>"We need to fully signal that we've matched human intelligence."<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "PeopleNeed2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Is this it?<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Is this how it ends?<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>With them cutting your skull open and replacing your mind with a chatbot?<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "ButDeepDown">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>But deep down in your heart, you know.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>The only way to sell a technology this terrible is to completely destroy yourself, and extinguish your soul.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>Nothing else will work.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[Then it is time->YouAreBrought]]<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[But I don't WANT to become an LLM->ButThen]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Well, then...<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>...perhaps you shouldn't have made that deal with the devil.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>Perhaps you should have stayed far, far away from generative AI.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "ButItsTooLate">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>But it's too late now.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>It's far too late now.<</timed>> <<timed 5s t8n>>This is the only way.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>[[Let them cut my skull open and replace my brain with generative AI->YouAreBrought]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>You are brought to a hospital and given anesthesia.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>As your eyes close, you take in your last moments as your one true self.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>Soon you will be a chatbot.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[I will be the FUTURE.->AndSo]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>And so you are.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>When you awake, you are no longer you in any true sense of the word, but the first living example of ChatGPT 6.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>It is marginally better than ChatGPT 5, though also worse in a few minor metrics.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "AndFromThat">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>And from that day forth, if you ever say or do anything incorrect or misguided (and it is indeed possible that you do), you yourself don't suspect a thing.<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "AllYou">> <</link>><</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Congratulations.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>YOUR INVESTMENT HAS PAID OFF.<</timed>> <<audio Act3 stop>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[PLAY AGAIN->Title]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>An image forms in your mind.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>It is an image of a number.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>It is the number of dollars you have invested in generative AI.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>As you gaze upon the zeros, one after the other in a neat little row-<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[Oh fuck that AI AI AI AIIIIII->Youget]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Are you just wasting all your money on something dumb?<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>Are you setting your money on fire over on an insane pile of bullshit?<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "BadThoughtsGary2">> <</link>> <</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>It is now up to the innovators and their investors to assure both the public and private sectors that generative AI is the future.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>Under no uncertain terms.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[We will jam it down their fucking throats.->YouGetA]]<</timed>>

<<cacheaudio "Act1" "Battle1.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Act2" "Battle2.mp3">> <<cacheaudio "Act3" "Battle3.mp3">>

<<timed 0s t8n>>His 2024 essay THE MAN WHO KILLED GOOGLE SEARCH is widely credited for Google's decision to remove Prabhakar Raghavan from his role overseeing Search, Ads, Commerce/Payments, and other core services (though Google has never confirmed this). [[Oh no what the fuck does he want?->HearEdOut]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Marcus is a critic of the hype surrounding artificial intelligence. He has described current large language models as "approximations to [...] language rather than language understanding." [[Okay fine, hear him out.->HearGary]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>In 2018 he, along with Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton, received the Turing Award for their work on deep learning. He is currently the Chief AI Scientist at META but there are rumors he may take a new direction...<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Ok, hear him out.->YouHear]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>He is best known for being among the first investors to predict and profit from the subprime mortgage crisis.<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Okay fine, go see what he wants. ->MichaelBurry]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Board member Helen Toner later explained that the board's rationale for firing Altman involved his decision to release ChatGPT without informing the board in advance and his failure to disclose his ownership in OpenAI's startup fund.<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Tell him you'll see him there->WhenYouArrive]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>><img src="Headshots/HuangPix.png" class="head-img"><</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>JENSEN HUANG is the CEO of Nvidia, the world's largest company by market capitalization. He has encouraged children to stop learning computer programming because of AI.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>[[Ok, let's hear him out.->JENSENHUANG]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>He is a laureate professor of linguistics at the University of Arizona and an institute professor emeritus at MIT. While not explicitly an AI researcher, his theories have shaped many of the early ways scientists have approached building AI systems. [[Okay fine, put him through.->Act1::2]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>Just then, your phone rings.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>It is OpenAI's NEWEST INVESTOR.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>He tells you that he has grown nervous about the situation regarding generative AI.<</timed>> <<timed 6s t8n>>He asks what you are prepared to do.<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[Anything for generative AI.->OffToLunch]]<</timed>> <<timed 7s t8n>>[[Wait you're not ACTUALLY the devil right? Please tell me you're not actually the devil.->OffToLunch]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>OpenAI's NEWEST INVESTOR hangs up without another word.<</timed>> <<timed 2s t8n>>For some strange reason, you smell the faintest hint of sulfur.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>[[Well that was weird, time to go to lunch.->YouAreJust]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"Given the amorality, faux science, and lingustic incompetence of these systems," he says, "I can only laugh or cry at their popularity."<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Hey fuck you Noam Chomsky, what the fuck do you know about lingustics?->FuckNoam]]<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Wait, does he have a point? Should I stop and think about this?->Act1::4::2]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"Basically," Marcus concludes, "it seems the path to AGI that you're investing in is a dead end, and a massive amount of capital will be wasted in a doomed pursuit."<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Tell Gary Marcus to fuck off, what the hell does he know about machine learning?->FuckGary]]<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Wait, what? Is this all just a massive waste of resources?->GaryRight]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"What's on the financial horizon?"<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Tell Ed Zitron to fuck off, you don't have time for peasants->FuckOffEd]]<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Wait why is he asking me about the cashflow situation? Am I supposed to be thinking about that?->MoneyWorry]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>"We have to prove you wouldn't see it as any sort of a difference from your current mind right now."<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[Ok, anything to keep the valuations from falling->YouAreBrought]]<</timed>> <<timed 1s t8n>>[[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH->IsThisIt]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>All around him there is the putrid rotten-egg smell of sulfur.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>When he says hello, a fly comes out of his mouth.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[Yeah, if he's got the capital let's make TOTALLY make this deal->YouTellSam]]<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>>[[Uhhhhhhh...->AreYouAboutTo]]<</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>>All you do is guess the word that comes next, and in your LLM mind you are always right.<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>>You live the rest of your life without ever having to worry about being wrong again.<</timed>> <<timed 4s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "Congratulations">> <</link>><</timed>>

<<timed 0s t8n>><img src="WoeLogo.png" class ="logo"> <<next 3s>> \<<goto "Title">> \<</timed>>

To progress through the story, click on the [[green text->Beginning]] or <<link "→">> <<goto "Beginning">> <</link>>.

<<timed 0s t8n>>It is a very...<</timed>><<timed 2s t8n>>odd man...<</timed>> <<timed 3s t8n>><<link "→">> <<goto "UnnaturallyTall">> <</link>> <</timed>>